Band-Aid's Stuck on Me
by katbybee
Summary: Written for the 135) I Am Stuck on Band-Aid, Cause Band-Aid's Stuck on Me Challenge– Tuttle- to answer the question of just why both Hogan and Newkirk show up wearing band-aids in the episode "Never Play Cards with Strangers" Boys, Bombs and Pesky little wires…Will be included in my collection "The War of Which we ARE a Part." Usual disclaimers…


Carter and Newkirk were huddled in Carter's Lair, as Newkirk had dubbed the Tunnel Three Bomb-Making and Chemistry Lab. A large number of small devices were spread across his workbench. The two men were quickly but carefully gathering them into Newkirk's rucksack. As Newkirk was finishing this task, Carter turned to a shelf behind him and gathered some tools. The two then hurried out of the lab and headed up to the barracks above.

Usually all preparations for missions were done down in the tunnels, but this was to be a fairly large demolitions job, so all of the men in the barracks were pitching in with assembling the explosives packs. Carter had assured them that the packs were safe until the actual timers were set, so they felt comfortable working with them. They trusted the youngest member of the team, because although he often purposely came across as hapless and scatter-brained, one thing he was obsessive about was demolitions.

With Private Garlotti keeping a watch on the door, the team gathered around the communal table in the center of the barracks and began to assemble the packs. The process was not difficult, nor particularly time consuming, but it did prove to be a bit, well, _challenging_. Andrew showed the others how to assemble the packs, which included several small pieces of devilishly sharp wire. These needed to be twisted inside each pack. Because of his experience and dexterous fingers, Andrew had no problem with the wires, but the others did not fare quite so well.

Most of the men managed to escape any particular bloodshed, but it was soon necessary to break out their first aid kit, which Kinch quickly did when Newkirk growled out a rather colorful oath and dropped the wires he was twisting back onto the table. His left index finger flew into his mouth while his middle finger stuck straight up in front of his face in a rather comical flip of the bird at his startled teammates.

Drily, Hogan looked at his scowling corporal. "Got an owie?"

"'bout cut me bloomin' finger off!" Newkirk mumbled around the injured digit.

Kinch grinned. "Here, ya big baby, let me look at it."

Reluctantly, Newkirk obeyed. Kinch was highly amused to see that though there was a cut on the inside of the upper part of Peter's finger, it was not large, nor was it deep. It would definitely not require stitches. Kinch looked at Peter and grinned again, "Sorry to break it to you, pal, but I got what you need right here in the kit."

One curse-laden iodine swabbing and one band-aid later, and Peter was back in the wire-twisting business.

Five minutes later, Hogan had cause to regret teasing Newkirk when one of the wires he was bending with his right hand suddenly slipped and found its way squarely into the back of his left index finger! He jumped and cursed as well. Kinch merely raised an eyebrow and reached for the first-aid box.

Hogan bore his ministrations with ill-disguised grace, especially as Newkirk smirked the entire time.

Carter stared in wonder at the two for a moment and, shaking his head, got back to work. For his part, if anyone had been looking, they might have noticed Garlotti's shoulders shaking gently as he laughed quietly.

All went well with the wire bending and assembling for quite a while, and they began to think their run of bad luck was over. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case… "Crap!" This time Hogan's irritation was palpable as he stared at the wire hanging artfully out the side of his right pinky.

All the men seemed mesmerized as Kinch sighed and slowly reached up and gently removed the offending wire from his commanding officer's hand. He spoke not a word as he treated the puncture wound and wound the band-aid in place.

And not thirty seconds later, the final insult. Just as Newkirk was twisting the last piece of wire into place, on the last pack, it popped out and caught him across the middle of his index finger. This time, though it still wasn't serious, it really stung. And Peter Newkirk got mad. He kept silent and still during Kinch's nursing routine, but he glowered at Andrew the whole time. Andrew watched him warily as the others packed everything away, and Andrew repacked the packages into the rucksack.

When Kinch was done, Newkirk slowly stood, his eyes still on Andrew. He moved around the table and used both bandaged fingers to drill the younger man quite firmly in the chest. "Next time wire yer own bloody bombs, mate!"

Carter smiled, relieved Peter wasn't really mad at him. A thought came to him. "Hey, Colonel, what are you gonna tell Klink if he notices the band-aids?"

"Are you kidding? I doubt anybody will ever notice them!"

The End


End file.
